In this webinar, I will demonstrate ways to overcome four limits of diffraction by challenging the assumptions upon which these limits are based. I will show: 1) how to focus below Abbe's diffraction limit, 2) how to squeeze more light through an aperture than allowed by Bethe's theory, 3) how to achieve stronger interactions with subwavelength particles than allowed for by Rayleigh scattering and 4) how to surpass the single channel limit. Applications to light matter interactions at the nanometer scale, particularly the study of proteins interacting with DNA and small molecules, will be discussed.

Speaker:

Reuven Gordon, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Nanoplasmonics, University of Victoria, Canada

What You Will Learn/Seminar Objectives:

How to resolve features smaller than the Abbe's diffraction limit.

Extraordinary transmission of light through a single sub-wavelength hole for brighter near-field probes.

How to optically measure and manipulate nanoparticles down to the single nanometer scale.

To surpass the single channel limit for stronger light-matter interaction at the nanoscale, with applications to enhanced spectroscopy.

Reuven Gordon received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge. In 2002, he joined the University of Victoria, where he currently holds a Canada Research Chair in Nanoplasmonics and an Associate Professor position in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 2009, Dr. Gordon was a visiting Professor at the Institute for Photonic Sciences (ICFO, Barcelona, Spain). He has received a Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance Award (2001), an Accelerate BC Industry Impact Award (2007), an AGAUR Visiting Professor Fellowship (2009), and the Craigdarroch Silver Medal for Research Excellence (2011). Dr. Gordon has authored and co-authored over 100 journal papers (including 6 invited contributions), two magazine contributions and he has co-authored three book chapters. He is co-inventor for two patents and four patent applications.